MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – The Shelby County Groundwater Control Board met for the first time since creating a committee to come up with a plan to protect the Memphis aquifer.<\/p>\n
The meeting follows xAI\u2019s $820,000 purchase of land<\/a> where a graywater treatment facility is supposed to be built. The plant would re-use water to cool computer equipment, instead of pulling it out of the aquifer. But the project is on hold.<\/a><\/p>\n Advocates for Protect Our Aquifer<\/a> said the board needs to look at improving and making water infrastructure more efficient.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are other industries that could be thinking about conservation practices and water recycling? We have a lot of old industry in this town and some of them use single pass cooling water. And that\u2019s our pure, precious aquifer being (used) once to cool machinery, and then dumped into the storm drain. There\u2019s a lot of room for efficiency and that is going to help with the draw down of legacy pollution that\u2019s really the true threat to our drinking water supply,\u201d said Sarah Houston, executive director of Protect Our Aquifer.<\/p>\n As part of the deal for the treatment facility land, xAI must have significant construction done within a year. If not, the land returns to the city.<\/p>\n CTC Property LLC, a subsidiary of SpaceXAI, paid $820,000 for the 13 acres of property at 2685 Plant Road.<\/p>\n The property is located between the wastewater treatment plant and Colossus 1 in the Boxtown area.<\/p>\n